Subject: SFS 11th Grade Email #21 -- Community Service Project Update -- Collection box of toiletry items
From: "Shu, Yingjie" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2011 14:33:02 -0500

Dear parents,

Please note that the collection box of toiletry items will be in front of the Dean of Students' office from Thursday on.  Thank you for your support to make this community service a great success.
Donna, Karen, Tanya and Yingjie

From: Shu, Yingjie
Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2011 11:14 PM
Subject: SFS 11th Grade Email #20 -- Community Service Project

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year!

The 11th Grade community service project is fast approaching.  As mentioned in the last Wednesday Letter, the service project will take place on Sunday, January 23, 2011, from 8:30am to 12:30pm, at the Martin Luther King Public Library located at 9th and G Streets, NW.

We cannot emphasize enough how important your support, both in terms your actual participation and motivating your student to participate, will mean to the success of the project.  While the students are expected to provide most of the effort, parental support and participation will be key.

The following are the specific details regarding the service project.  Please read carefully, and if you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact Donna Joe by phone at 301-640-6201 or via email at [email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>.

Food/Drink Items
To simplify things for all participants, we have come up with a pre-determined menu of food items we are asking student/family volunteers to prepare and bring on January 23rd.  The menu is as follows:

                Chicken                                Garden Salad                                     Ham (sliced)
                Stuffing                                Rolls                                                      String Beans
                Cranberry Sauce               Macaroni & Cheese                        Yams/Sweet Potatoes
                Canned Soda     Bottled Water

Sign-Up Genius
Although the concept of this year's service project is relatively straightforward, there are many moving parts.  To help us more efficiently organize this event, we have set up an online sign-up tool called "SignUp Genius", which can be accessed at the following link:
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/11th2<http://www.signupgenius.com/go/11th2>

If you plan to be involved in any way with this service project, it is essential that you sign up at the link above.  Please note that some of the slots are specifically designated for parents/adults, and some are specifically designated for students only.  Students, parents and other family members may sign up for all other "undesignated" slots.  The expectation is that every 11th grade student will sign up for at least one time slot; however, everyone is welcome to do more.  When signing up, please include the following information:  your name, reachable phone number and email address.

"Work" Shifts
So that the day's events will flow more smoothly, the day has been broken out into shifts.  Those shifts are:

Shift 1 (Set Up)                                 = 8:30am to 9:00am (4 students, 4 parents/adults)
Shift 2 (Food Service)                    = 9:00am to 10:00am (31 volunteers)
Shift 3 (Food Service)                    = 10:00am to 11:00am (31 volunteers)
Shift 4 (Food Service)                    = 11:00am to 12:00pm (31 volunteers)
Shift 5 (Toiletry Bag distrib.)       = 8:30am to 10:30am (4 students only)
Shift 6 (Toiletry Bag distrib.)       = 10:30am to 12:30pm (4 students only)
Shift 7 (Clothing distrib.)                              = 8:30am to 10:30am (4 students only)
Shift 8 (Clothing distrib.)                              = 10:30am to 12:30pm (4 students only)
Shift 9 (Clean Up)                                            = 12:00pm to 12:30pm (4 students, 4 parents/adults)

Note:  If you sign-up to bring a food or drink item, you will also be expected to serve it.

Gently Used Winter Wear
On the day of the service project we are asking students and their families for donations of gently used winter wear.  The items we are looking for are for adults only and may include the following items:

                Winter coats                      Winter jackets  Thick-soled Rubber Shoes
                Sweaters                             Scarves                 Blankets
                Boots                                    Gloves                  Winter hats

All items should be clean and in good shape.  These items will not be collected in advance, but should be brought to the location of the service project on January 23rd.  There will be a separate table set aside where these items will be handed out.

Toiletry Bags
We are looking to the students to provide most of the items that will be included in the toiletry bags that will be handed out on January 23rd.  The items will be collected at school over a period of five days, which will coincide with the students' exam schedule.

The items need will be collected based on the following schedule:

Thursday, January 6th (History exam day) = Socks (Note: although students are welcome to donate individual pairs of socks, we would prefer packages of 2, 3 or more pairs of socks)

Friday, January 7th (Science exam day) = Toothbrushes and Toothpaste

Monday, January 10th (Language exam day) = Deoderant (for men & women)

Wednesday, January 12th (English exam day) = Shampoo and Conditioner

Thursday, January 13th (Math exam day) = Soap (bar soap or gel)

Each collection day, a clearly marked collection box will be set outside of David Connell's office.  Students can leave their donations in the collection box.

Assembly of Toiletry Bags
The plan is to assemble the toiletry bags prior to the day of the service project on Monday, January 17th.  The bags will be assembled at school, beginning at 11:00am, at a location on campus (to be determined at a later date).  This activity requires the assistance of at least five student volunteers, and one additional parent.  A separate sign-up list has been set-up for this activity on SignUp Genius, at the following link:
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/11th3<http://www.signupgenius.com/go/11th3>

If your student will not be able to participate on the day of the service project because of a prior commitment, please encourage them to sign-up to help assemble bags on January 17th.  It is a great way for your student to still make a valuable contribution to this worthwhile activity.

Also note that if we are unable to assemble the toiletry bags prior to January 23rd, they will be assembled onsite on the day of the event by those students who have signed-up for that particular work shift.

Equipment

We will need approximately nine (9) tables on the day of the service project.  So far, we already have three (3) tables, and we are looking for other 11th grade families to lend us six (6) additional tables.  Preferably, we are looking for 6-foot tables, but a spare card table will work as well.  If you are willing to lend a table for the service project, please contact Donna Joe at 301-640-6201 or via email at [email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>.

Those lending tables will need to transport them to the service project location on January 23rd (and pick them up).  Table will need to be delivered by 8:30am on the day of the event.  We are not planning on providing chairs on the day of the event; however, participants are more than welcome to bring their own lawnchairs.

As the month progresses, students and parents will receive additional information as necessary, as well as reminders regarding sign-up.

We want to thank everyone in advance for their support and participation in this very important service project.  Through your efforts, you will be making life on the streets for at least some of the homeless in our community a little more bearable.

If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact Donna Joe at 301-640-6201 or via email at [email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]> directly.

Donna, Karen, Tanya and Yingjie